Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 353 Lucas: Aggressive Behavior

LUCAS

Five wolf bodies lie on the ground, their blood settled into pools of blood beneath them, frozen now in the snow.

My beta approaches, his face grim. He kneels beside one of the corpses, examining it with a critical eye. "You said they weren't in their right minds?"

I've seen my share of battles, but this was different. The rogues attacked with a ferocity that bordered on madness. "It wasn't natural. Almost rabid. We didn't have a chance to communicate."

I stand over the largest of the bodies, frowning. It wasn't as though we hadn't tried to bring them in alive. They just had no interest in negotiating. There isn't much we can do at that point.

Kellan's voice breaks through my thoughts. "They're only five miles from the compound."

"They were heading south," I say, watching as Kellan's shoulders visibly relax. "Not toward the pack."

It's a small comfort, but I'll take what I can get. Still, the proximity is unsettling. These rogues could have easily changed course, stumbled upon our territory. They're too close. We need to tighten our security, make sure we don't let it happen again.

I crouch down beside one of the bodies, studying it closely. "Maybe we should examine them further. There might be clues—"

Kellan shakes his head, cutting me off. "We don't have the facilities for that, Lucas. Autopsying random wolves would be a waste of resources we can't afford right now. What building are we going to take over? We can't bring dead bodies into the hospital. We don't have the room there, either."

With winter in full swing and refugees to care for, we can't spare the time or manpower for an extensive investigation over a few violent wolves. Still, the nagging feeling that we're missing something crucial gnaws at me.

"What if they were just traumatized?" Kellan suggests after a moment. "Starving, maybe. Could have gone feral."

It's a reasonable theory. We've seen it before—wolves pushed to their limits, reverting to pure instinct. Especially as rogues without a pack. But as I look at the bodies sprawled before us, something doesn't add up.

"It's possible," I concede, "but I don't think that's it." I gesture to the nearest corpse. "Look at them. They're young, strong. Their bodies are well-fed. This wasn't desperation."

"Then why attack without provocation? It doesn't make sense."

"We'll never know now."

The finality of my words hangs in the air. Five lives snuffed out, and for what? Such a waste of life.

My gaze falls back to the bodies at our feet. Their eyes are still open, glazed over in death, but I can't shake the memory of the feral gleam they held during the attack. It was as if something had stripped away their humanity, leaving nothing but raw, uncontrolled aggression.

do with the bodies?" Kellan asks, rising to his feet as he

weight. We can't leave them here, that's for certain.

decide. "Have them move the bodies several miles out, away from our territory. They'll have to use a truck. Maybe burn them

"I'll get it organized."

feels as though reports of aggressive rogues

me to second-guess leaving these bodies behind. But we have no technology to help us here.

turns back to me, eyebrow raised in question. "Once we've taken care of this,

* * *

door opening cuts

Ava.

down my chest as I grab a towel, hastily

her golden hair, tied back into a ponytail. Her cheeks are flushed from the cold, blue eyes bright. Something in my chest loosens

your shower short," she says, a smile

curve of my body. Honey and vanilla, with that faint hint of orange, surround me, stirring Aurum in the back of my

and I

"Lucas! You're getting soap everywhere."

reluctantly let her go, watching as she shrugs

you join me? I was just getting

to one side. But then she nods,

as I lead her to the bathroom. Steam still hangs in the air, fogging the mirror. I turn on the

in the sight of her, my eyes

closing the glass door behind us. The shower suddenly feels much smaller with both of us in it.

through the fog

off her ass and to her face.

turns to face me, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes. "You're acting strange. Did something

how to respond. The memory of those five dead wolves flashes through my mind, their unseeing eyes staring up at

happened," I say, reaching for the shampoo bottle. "Just missed

clearly not believing me. But she doesn't press the issue, turning back to

hand, working it into her hair. My fingers massage her scalp, and I feel some of the tension leave her body.

know that?" Ava says, her

still

mine. "You don't have to tell